Mechanical toy



June 21, 1938. H KRupp 2,121,355

MECHANICAL TOY Filed April 28. 1937 8 1 1 12 a dfiouwq h Hrman KruppPatented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 28,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a mechanical toy, and more particularly to avehicular toy, such as an automobile, engine, car or the like, that ispropelled by means of a spring motor. The primary objects of theinvention are to provide means whereby the toy will automatically turnaway from the edge of a. table or other flat surface upon reaching itsedge and will thus be prevented from falling off. While I am aware that.

prior to my invention, toys of a similar nature have been invented, itis my observation that they are either somewhat complicated, haveungainly projecting parts which destroy their natural appearance, orfail to function properly,

and my present endeavor is to overcome these objections.

In the drawing: Fig. -1 is a view in side elevation of a toy automobileembodying the principal features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a view in frontend elevation. Referring in detail to the drawing wherein like referencenumerals indicate like parts in the several views, the numeralI-designates the body or shell of the device which may be made in anydesired form. The numeral 6 indicates a. spring motor mounted withinsaid body and which may comprise a winding stem, a spiral spring, and aplurality of gears forming a connection with and adapted to rotate atransverse axle l. A rubber tired driving wheel 8 is fixed to one endportion of said axle, and a wheel 9 of the same diameter is looselymounted on the other end of the axle. One of the most important featuresof the invention resides in a protuberance "I which depends from theforward bottom end portion of the body 5, from the same side on whichthe driving wheel 8 is located. and somewhat in longitudinal alignmenttherewith. Placing this protuberance in near longitudinal alignment withthe driving wheel causes the vehicle to travel in a substantiallystraight line. The protuberance l0 slants oii' gradually toward theother side of the vehicle thus forming an inclined plane Ii for reasonspresently set forth. when the toy is normally resting or running on aflat surface, its weight is supported by the driving wheel I, theloosely mounted wheel-9, and the protuberance III, as shown in Figs. 1and 3 of the drawing.

Another very important feature of the invention ,resides in the idlerpilot wheel I! which is mounted substantially in the central portion ofthe bottom of the body I and slightly to the side whereon the looselymounted wheel 0 is located. Said pilot wheel. together with the wheels 8and 9, form a somewhat equilateral triangle, and said 1937, Serial No.133,-"

pilot wheel is disposed slightly above the horizontal plane defined bythe wheels 8 and 9 and the protuberance i II. It will be particularlynoted that the axis of rotation of said pilot wheel is aligned with thecenter of the loosely mounted wheel 9, as indicated by the dotted lineat I! in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the device, we may assume that same is running on aflat surface such as a table and is headed toward one edge thereof. Thevehicle is supported on the table by the protuberance iii, the looselymounted wheel 9, and the driving wheel 8, and the idler pilot wheel I!is above and out of contact with the table. At the instant the forwardend of the vehicle pro- Jects over the edge of the table, theprotuberance I0 drops down allowing the idler pilot wheel I! to contactand rest on the table. It being remembered that the axis of said pilotwheel is aligned with the center of the loosely mounted wheel 9, saidloose wheel becomes a pivot point about which the pilot wheel turns, andthe driving wheel 8,-under the influence of said pilot wheel, instantlycauses the vehicle to swing sharply around as indicated by the arrows inFig. 2. In swinging around, the inclined plane portion ii of theprotuberance i0 slides easily against the edge of the table, lifting theforward end of the vehicle, causing the said protuberance to regain itsbearing on the table, and raising the pilot wheel I2 out of contact withits surface. The vehicle is thus turned away from the edge of thetable,.prevented from falling off, and headed toward another edge whereit will be again caused to turn away. The inclined plane ll togetherwith aligning the axis of the pilot wheel I! with the center of theloose wheel 9 are prime factors in causing the vehicle to swinginstantly around regardless of its speed.

. I claim:

A mechanical toy comprising in combination a driven axle, a drivingwheel fixed to one end of the axle. and a loosely mounted wheel on theother end of the axle, a protuberance depending from the forward end ofthe toy and disposed substantially in longitudinal alignment with thedriving wheel, said protuberance slanting upwardly toward the side ofthe toy on which the loosely mounted wheel is positioned and forming.

an inclined plane extending a greater part of the width of the toy, apilot wheel interposed between the protuberance and the said two otherwheels and raised above the horizontal plane thereof. and the axis ofrotation of. said pilot wheel being aligned'with the center of theloosely mounted wheel.

HERMAN KRUPP.

